Thiruvananthapuram: Licensing for pet dogs will be made mandatory and strictly enforced, with a limit of two dogs per household. The move aims to prevent the abandonment of pet dogs on the streets.
The State Animal Welfare Board has decided to recommend amendments to Panchayat and Municipal laws to enforce this condition. Although licensing is currently mandatory, it is not strictly followed. The government is considering amending existing laws.
Under the proposed rules, timely vaccination and sterilisation of dogs will be mandatory. Only dogs implanted with microchips will be eligible for licences. Microchipping will help authorities trace owners who abandon dogs. The chip will contain details such as the dog’s name, breed, and owner’s address, linked to local body databases. A fee will be charged for microchipping.
Those wishing to keep more than two dogs must obtain a breeder’s licence. The move is also aimed at preventing breeders from abandoning dogs when they fail to sell them after breeding.
